Two sleeps ’till BLADE Show 2017…

I can hardly believe it is BLADE Show time again. When I went to my first show in 2014, it was just weeks after being promoted to Managing Editor. I was in completely over my head. My 2014 coverage was a bit scattered as I still felt like a trout-bum masquerading as a knife guy. I am still grateful to Will Woods and Kim Breed in particular for being so patient with me and answering my myriad questions, n

This is now my 4th show. For the 3rd year running I will have my faithful Associate Editor David Andersen helping me work the floor and providing all of us with his erudite and educated point of view. Will Woods will be there as well, and I am sure I will be able to coax him into a post or two as well.

Be sure to follow our social media accounts for the latest updates from the show floor. While there will be some full posts here on the blog over the course of the weekend, our Facebook Page, Twitter (@knifetruth), and Instagram (@knifetruth) will be updated in real time.

While the show doesn’t start until Friday, David is driving down via Tennessee tomorrow and crashing here for the night. We are going to attempt to do a Facebook Live-Stream from my workshop at 10pm EDT. Just talking knives, drinking beer, and maybe showing off some steel.

Hopefully we can work out the technical details and make it happen. Please let us know if this is something you would be interesting in dropping in on.

As for what to expect from our show coverage this year…

I am really looking forward to meeting several people with whom I have been corresponding regularly, most notably KAI Designers Les George and Jens Anso. There are several other of our “5 from the Grinder” participants who will have tables and I will be making a point of stopping by.

David plans on doing a series of “Hands on First Impressions” with newly released knives, and will be covering the BladeSports World Championships.

I am going to try to provide a narrative of the weekend, a little more stream of consciousness than David’s more focused posts. I have taken this approach at each of my shows, and I feel like the first-person accounting can really give a flavor of what it is like to be there. I think the contrast in our two styles really provides well-rounded coverage.

Finally, if any of our readers are going to be at the show We want to meet you. My cell phone number is (eight-six-five, nine-six-four, six-four-oh-three). If you are on the floor, shoot me a text. We can find a place to get together and chat for a few minutes. BLADE Show is about personal interactions as much as it is about the knives.

Please let us know if there are any makers you want us to make a point of visiting. What new knives? We are your eyes and ears in Atlanta this weekend. Let us know what you want to see.

And be sure to check our Facebook page in the 10pm hour Thursday night for our first attempt at a live-stream.

comments

I am hugely disappointed that I can’t get down there (again) as I have a work commitment that simply cannot be changed. I am somewhat comforted that TTAK will be there and bringing back the pics and info so I can at least be somewhat in the know afterward.